"Matter of shame:" CM Siddaramaiah hits back at BJP after Karnataka MLA arrested on alleged bribe charges

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], February 22 (ANI): A day after Karnataka Lokayukta raided a hospital belonging to BJP MLA Chandru Lamani and caught him in an alleged bribery case, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah hit back at the BJP and said it is a "matter of shame" that the BJP leaders who levelled allegations of corruption at others are now involved in bribery allegations.

ಶಿರಹಟ್ಟಿ ಬಿಜೆಪಿ ಶಾಸಕ ಚಂದ್ರು ಲಮಾಣಿಯವರು ಲಂಚದ ಆರೋಪದ ಮೇಲೆ ಲೋಕಾಯುಕ್ತರ ಬಳಿ‌ ಸಿಕ್ಕಿಬಿದ್ದಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಬಿಜೆಪಿಯವರು ಬೇರೆ ಪಕ್ಷದವರ ಮೇಲೆ ಲಂಚದ ಆರೋಪವನ್ನು ಸುಲಭವಾಗಿ ಮಾಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದರು. ಬೇರೆಯವರನ್ನು ದೂರುವ ಬಿಜೆಪಿಯವರೇ ಲಂಚದ ಆರೋಪದಲ್ಲಿ ಸಿಲುಕಿರುವುದು ನಾಚಿಕೆಗೇಡು. ಲೋಕಾಯುಕ್ತರ ತನಿಖೆ ನಡೆದು ಪೂರ್ಣ ಸತ್ಯಾಸತ್ಯತೆ ಹೊರಬರಲಿ.… pic.twitter.com/9igAeHXMx3

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) February 21, 2026

"ShiraHatti BJP MLA Chandru Lamani has been caught by the Lokayukta in a bribery allegation. The BJP folks used to easily level bribery accusations against people from other parties. It's a matter of shame that the very BJP folks who pointed fingers at others are now entangled in a bribery allegation. Let the Lokayukta investigation proceed, and the full truth come out. We won't obstruct it," Siddaramaiah said in a post on X.
On Monday, Gadag district Shirahatti BJP MLA Chandru Lamani was raided by the Lokayukta, and three people were caught red-handed while allegedly accepting a bribe of five lakh rupees from a contractor.
MLA Chandru Lamani, government PA Manjunath Valmiki, and private PA Guru Lamani were arrested and taken away by the Lokayukta police.
Lokayukta police took him away after a 12-hour inspection and interrogation. Lokayukta police took him away from Sri Balaji Hospital in Lakshmeshwar town in a police escort
Lokayukta police will first take him to Gadag GIMS Hospital for a medical examination before producing him before a judge or directly before the People's Representatives Court in Bangalore
Following the raids, supporters shouted slogans against Congress while Chandru Lamani was being taken away.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Saturday took a dig at the BJP on corruption in the wake of a BJP MLA, Chandru Lamani, being nabbed by the Lokayukta while taking bribes.
Speaking to reporters at the GBA office, he sarcastically said, "Aren't BJP politicians the most honest in the country?"
He was replying to a question on the BJP MLA being caught taking a bribe.
"BJP leaders can't be corrupted. Someone must have given you false information. Let's wait till the Lokayukta gives its statement, and then I will give my comments," he quipped, taking a dig at the BJP. (ANI)